Interchangeable surgical neck dressing



June 25, 1946.

J. SCHAFFER INTERCHANGEBLE SURGICALy NECK DRESSING Filed Sept. 18, 1945 INVENTOR. Jsae c/zaffer ATTORNEY Patented June 25, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERCHANGIEABLE SURGICAL NECK DRESSING J osie4 Schaffer, VMount Vernon, N. Y.

Application September 18, 1943, Serial No. 502,891

ments by which a .gauze pad or other vpad may 4 be removably supported. l

The invention further proposes the provision `of strings connected with the bib-like `flexible sheet member by which it may be securely attached in position.

Still further the invention proposes a novel arrangement of the fastening elements and the edge portions of the `gauze pad by which the pad may be removably mounted on the bib-like member in a certain Way.

Still further the invention contemplates modications in one of which the means for releasably mounting thegauze pad on the bib-.like member is varied.

For further comprehension f the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, .reference Will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel .features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an interchangeable surgical neck dressing constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 ris an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the dressing `shown in Fig. ,1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a yfragmentary elevational View similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified construction.

Fig. 5 is another fragmentary elevational view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating still another construction.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

The interchangeable vsurgical neck dressing, according to this invention, includes a, bib-like Waterproof flexible sheet member I0 for covering a neck wound. Preferably, this member is made from waterproof fabric material. A binding strip I I is mounted upon and around the edges of the member I0. The member Ill has a curved top edge I2 adapted to lit partly around the neck. It has side portions I3 which extend partly upon the shoulders.

Strings I4 or ribbons are connected with the (Cl. v12S-163) 2 side shoulder portions I3 and are adapted to be extended around the back of the neck and tied to hold the'shoulder portionsl I3 in position. The bib-like member I0 is also provided with a pair of openings I5 at the sides and near the bottom, through which another string or ribbon I6 is laced. This string or ribbon is adapted to be engaged around the body under the armpits and tied in the back to hold the bottom portion of the lbiblike member I in position.

Fastening elements Il are mount-ed on the front face of the member I0 along the cutout portion I2 and at the sides. These fastening Velements Il are in the nature of conventional small hooks.

A gauze pad I8 is located at the back face of the member lil, and has its top edge portion I"9 bent over the curved edge I2 of the bib-like member lil. This edge I9 is engaged upon the top hooks I'I. The'gauze pad I8 also has its bottom corners 20 bent around the sides of the bib-like member Ili and engaged on the bottom hooks I1.

The interchangeable surgical neck dressing may be applied upon ones neck and over a wound, as schematically illustrated in Fig. 1. In this figure the dot and clash lines 2| schematically illustrate a person. It should be noted that the gauze pad I8 is rested against the neck while the bib-like member I0 is tied in position. The strings I"4 are shown tied around the neck of said person While the string I6 is shown tied around the body of said person beneath the armpits.

When the dressing is removed it is a simple matter to unhook the gauze pad I8 and discard it. A new pad may then be mounted upon the bib-like member by merely engaging the edge portion with the hooks Il.

In Fig. 4, a modified form of the invention is shown which is very similar to the prior form, distinguishing merely in the fact that the biblike waterproof flexible sheet member I0' is formed with a plurality of vent perforations 22. In other respects this form of the invention is identical to the previous form and like parts are indicated `by like reference numerals. The feature of this form of the invention resides in the fact that the neck dressing will be cooler because moisture can evaporate through the ventilation openings 22.

In Figs. 5 and 6, still another form of the invention has been disclosed, distinguishing from the prior forms in the way the gauze pad I8 is mounted on the bib-like member I0. The improved feature of this mounting resides in the fact that it is possible to stretch the gauze pad I8 tighter. More specically, the hook-like fastening elements I1 are mounted on the free ends of elastic straps 23 which have their inner ends secured to the material f the bib-like member III with stitches 24. These elastic straps 23 are mounted on the front face of the bib-like member I0. Rigid strips 25 of whalebone, or lplastic material are mounted upon the back face of the biblike member I0. These strips 25 are just as wide as the elastic straps 23. They are held at their bottom ends by the stitches 24. Each rigid strip 25 is provided with an outer extendable section 26. These sections 26 may be folded down, as illustrated by the full lines in Fig. 6. They are pivotally connected with the main body of the strips by the hinges 21.. They may be extended outwards as indicated by the dot and dash lines 2S' in Fig. 6.

In this form of the invention the edge portions' of the gauze pad I8 may be engaged on the hooks I1 with the elastic straps 23 under slight tension so that the pad I8 is held taut. It should be noted that the straps I4 and I6 are located at the top and bottom of the group of said elastic straps 23, and so tend to hold the straps 23 iirmly in position'. The straps I4 and I6 serve to hold the biblike sheet member I0 in a firmly stretched position and to indirectly communicate the tautness to the elastic straps 23 :and gauze pad I8,

The sections 26 may be extended when desired to prevent the edge portions of the bib-like member I0 from bending under the stresses produced by the elastic straps 23.

The dominating feature of the invention resides in the fact that the bib-like waterproof flexible sheet member I0 may be repeatedly used while the gauze pad I8 may be changed as frequently as desired.

This surgical neck dressing will save adhesive tapes and will prevent skin burns and irritation caused by the use of adhesive tape.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I-Iaving'thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. An interchangeable surgical neck dressing, comprising a bib-like waterproof exible sheet member for covering a neck wound, fastening elements on the front face of said member along the top and side edge portions, strings for engaging about ones neck and beneath ones armpits for releasably securing said member in position, a gauze pad located on the back face of said member and having edge portions bent over to the front face of said member and held by said fastening elements, elastic straps for supporting said fastening elements, and rigid strips mounted on the back of said bib-like member and having extendable outer sections.

' 2. An interchange surgical neck dressing, comprising a bib-like waterproof exible sheet member, means for mounting said sheet member in position on ones body, elastic straps mounted on-the front face of said sheet member and having free ends projected upwards towards the top edge portion of said sheet member, a gauze pad located on the back face of said sheet member and having its bottom edge secured to said sheet member and its top edge bent over the top edge of said sheet member, fastening elements on the free ends of said elastic straps engageable with the bent over top edge of said gauze pad, and means on the back face of said sheet member reinforcing said bib-like member to avoid its bending under stress.

3. An interchangeable surgical neck dressing, comprising a bib-like waterproof flexible sheet member, means for mounting said sheet member in position on ones body, elastic straps mounted on the front face of said sheet member and having free ends projected upwards towards the top edeg portion of said sheet member, a gauze pad y located on the back face of said sheet member and having its bottom edge secured to said sheet member and its top edge bent over the top edge of said sheet member, fastening elements on the free ends of said elastic straps engageable with the bent over top edge of said gauze pad, and means on the back face of said sheet member reinforcing said bib-like member to avoid its bending under stress, said fastening elements comprising hooks mounted on the free ends of said elastic straps and engageable with said gauze pad.

4. An interchangeable surgical neck dressing, comprising a bib-like waterproof flexible sheet member, means for mounting said sheet member in position on ones body, 'elastic straps mounted on the front face of said sheet member and having free ends projected upwards towards the top edge portion of said sheet member, a gauze pad located on the back face of said sheet member and having its bottom edge secured to said sheet member and its top edge bent over the top edge of said sheet member, fastening elements on the free ends of said elastic straps engageable with the bent over top edge of said gauze pad, and

means on the back face of said sheet member reinforcing said bib-likemember to avoid its bending under stress, comprising rigid strips mounted on the back face 0f said sheet member, and eX- tendible outer sections on said rigid strips engageable against the fold of said gauze pad.

5. An interchangeable surgical neck dressing, comprising a bib-like waterproof flexible sheet member, means for mounting said sheet member in position on ones body, elastic straps mounted on the front face of said sheet member and having free ends projected upwards towards the top edge portion of said sheet member, a gauze pad located on the back face of said sheet member and having its bottom edge secured to said sheet member and its top edge bent over the top edge of said sheet member, fastening elements on the free -ends of said elastic straps engageable with the bent over top edge of said gauze pad, and means von the back face of said sheet member reinforcing said bib-like member to avoid its bending yunder stress, comprising rigid strips mounted on the back face of said sheet member and extendible outer sections on said rigid strip engageable against the fold of said gauze pad, said rigid strips and outer sections being pivotally -connected together to be easily pivoted to an operative position.

J OSIE SCHAFFER. 

